Bicycle Pump with Universal Head

ABSTRACT

A bicycle pump comprises a head, a socket, a ball, a retaining collar, a cylinder, and a piston unit. The head is provided with a connection portion and defines an air inlet and an air outlet. The socket is provided in the head and defines a round recess and a through hole. The ball can be retained between the socket and the retaining collar and rotated about its center in all directions. The cylinder defines a chamber therein. Also, the cylinder has a first connection portion at one end thereof and defines an air outlet at a center of the first connection portion. The piston unit is provided for conducting reciprocating motion along the chamber of the cylinder, so that air in the chamber can be forced out of the air outlet of the cylinder and finally forced out of the air outlet of the head to inflate a tire.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bicycle pump and, more particular, to a bicycle pump with a universal head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Due to the rising of oil prices and the prevalence of exercise, many people use bicycles as a transport means for commuting and recreation. Riding a bike can bring benefits to the environment and achieve the effect of fitness. However, after a period of time, an inflated tire would gradually become flat. Thus, a user may prepare a floor bike pump at home. For enjoining the fun of riding a bike, a handheld bike pump is needed, which can be easily put into bags, pockets or can even be strapped to the bike. On the go, the handheld bike pump can be used to inflate a tire or help replacement of a tire whenever necessary.

As to a conventional handheld bike pump, a tire should be turned to a position for easy connection to a valve of the tire, and then the tire can be pumped up properly. However, turning a bike's tire is not always convenient. In such condition, a proper connection between the bike pump and the tire's valve cannot be made easy.

To facilitate a bicycle pump to fit to a tire of a bike, a Taiwan's utility model patent 463878 was disclosed, wherein a joint member is employed so that the head of the bike pump can be rotated universally for easy connection to the bike's tire. However, the joint member is constructed of a ball with a threaded rod, which has difficulty in the manufacturing and to reach a precision requirement. It is difficult to increase the quantity of acceptable joint members for final assembly. Thus, the manufacturing cost of this bike pump is relatively high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle pump with a universal head, which allow the cylinder to be angled with respect to the head, so that the pump can be conveniently connected to the valve of a tire and the pumping operation can be conducted smoothly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle pump with a universal head, which is simple in structure and can be manufactured easily, and has a lower cost.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a bicycle pump, which comprises a head, a socket, a ball, a retaining collar, a cylinder, and a piston unit. The head includes a housing provided with a connection portion and defining an air inlet and an air outlet that communicates with the air inlet. The socket is provided in the head and defines a round recess and a through hole communicating with the air inlet of the head. The ball, which is partially disposed in the round recess of the socket, defines a through hole communicating with the through hole of the socket, and has a connection portion. The retaining collar has an inner curved surface mated with an outer surface of a part of the ball located outside of the socket, and has a connection portion attached with the connection portion of the head, so that the ball can be retained between the socket and the retaining collar and rotated about its center in all directions. The cylinder defines a chamber therein. Also, the cylinder has a first connection portion at one end thereof and defines an air outlet at a center of the first connection portion, the air outlet of the cylinder communicating with the chamber, the first connection portion being attached with the connection portion of the ball, to allow the air outlet of the cylinder to communicate with the through hole of the ball. The piston unit is provided for conducting reciprocating motion along the chamber of the cylinder, so that air in the chamber can be forced out of the air outlet of the cylinder and finally forced out of the air outlet of the head to inflate a tire.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows another exploded view of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a 3-dimensional assembled view of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the lever is at the first position.

FIG. 5 shows another sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the lever is at the second position, and the cylinder is angled relative to the head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To allow the features and advantages of the present invention to be fully understood, one embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 though 5, a bicycle pump 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown, which generally comprises a head 10, a socket 20, a ball 30, a retaining collar 40, a cylinder 50, a piston unit 60, an end cap 70, and a handle 80.

The head 10 includes a housing 11, a nozzle 133, a pressing unit 13, and a lever 12, wherein the housing 11 is provided with a connection portion 114, which is formed on an annular member 113 at a side of the housing 11. Furthermore, the housing 11 defines an air inlet 111 at a center of the annular member 113 of the housing 11 and an air outlet 112 at a bottom end of the housing 11. The nozzle 133, which defines an air passage communicating with the air inlet 111 and the air outlet 112, is mounted in the housing 11 and located at a bottom portion of the housing 11. The air outlet 112 and the nozzle 133 are capable of accommodating a valve of a tire of a bike. The nozzle 133 can be made of resilient material. The pressing unit 13 is hermetically and movably mounted in the housing 11 and placed above the nozzle 133. The lever 12 is pivotally mounted to the housing 11 in cooperation with the pressing unit 13, whereby when the lever 12 is pivotally moved from a first position (see FIG. 4) to a second position (see FIG. 5), the pressing unit 13 can be urged by the lever 13 to secure a valve on a tire of a bike.

Furthermore, the pressing unit 13 includes a pressing cup 131 and a plunger 132 fixed to the pressing cup 131, where in the plunger 132 is inserted into the nozzle 133; the pressing cup 131 is engaged with the lever 12, whereby when the lever 12 is located at the first position (see FIG. 4), the pressing cup 131 is not urged by the lever 12; when the lever is located at the second position (see FIG. 5), the lever 12 can urge the pressing cup 131, which in turn drive the plunger to press the nozzle 133 and the tip of the valve 99, thereby securing the valve 99 in the nozzle 133.

The socket 20, which is provided in the annular member 113 of the head 10, defines a round recess 21 and a through hole 22 communicating with the round recess 21 and the air inlet 111 of the head 10.

The ball 30 is partially disposed in the round recess 21 of the socket 20, wherein the ball 30 defines a through hole 32 communicating with the through hole 22 of the socket 20 and has a connection portion 31.

The retaining collar 40 has an inner curved surface 42, which is mated with an outer surface of a part of the ball 30 located outside of the socket 20, and a connection portion 41 attached with the connection portion 114 of the head 10, so that the ball 30 can be retained between the socket 20 and the retaining collar 40 and rotated about its center in all directions or universally.

Particularly, the connection portion 114 of the head 10 can be formed as external threads, whereas the connection portion 41 of the retaining collar 40 can be formed as internal threads, which can be threadedly engaged with the external threads of the head 10.

The cylinder 50 defines a chamber 51 therein. Also, the cylinder 50 has a first connection portion 52 at one end thereof and has a second connection portion 54 at the other end thereof. Also, the cylinder 50 defines an air outlet 53 at a center of the first connection 52 and an opening 55 at the other end thereof; wherein both of the air outlet 53 and the opening 55 communicate with the chamber 51. The second connection portion 54 is provided at an outer surface of the end that defines the opening 55. The first connection portion 52 is attached with the connection portion 31 of the ball 30 to allow the air outlet 53 of the cylinder 50 to communicate with the through hole 32 of the ball 30.

Preferably, an airtight ring 90, such as an O-ring, is provided between the through hole 32 of the ball 30 and the air outlet 53 of the cylinder 50, to prevent air leakage.

Particularly, the connection portion 31 of the ball 30 can be formed as internal threads, whereas the first connection portion 52 of the cylinder 50 can be formed as external threads, which can be threadedly engaged with the internal threads of the ball 30.

The piston unit 60 is provided for conducting reciprocating motion along the chamber 51 of the cylinder 50, so that air in the chamber 51 can be forced out of the air outlet 53 of the cylinder 50 and finally forced out of the air outlet 12 of the head 10 to inflate a tire. The piston unit 60 includes a piston 61 and a connecting rod 62, wherein the piston 61 is mounted in the chamber 51 of the cylinder 50; the connecting rod 62 has a first end connected to the piston 61 and a second end extending through the opening 55 of the cylinder 50.

The end cap 70 defines a through hole 72 at a center thereof and a connection portion 71 attached with the second connection 54 of the cylinder 50, wherein the second end of the connecting rod 62 extends through the through hole 72 of the end cup 70, the through hole 72 having a dimension less than the piston 61 to prevent the piston 61 from going out the chamber 51 of the cylinder 50.

Particularly, the second connection portion 54 of the cylinder 50 can be formed as external threads, whereas the connection portion 71 of the end cap 70 can be formed as internal threads, which can threadedly engaged with the external threads of the cylinder 50.

Furthermore, a handle 80 can be connected to the second end of the connecting rod 62 that extends through the through hole 72 of the end cap 70 for ease of operating the bicycle pump.

In operation, since the head 10 of the present invention can be rotated relative to the cylinder 50 through the structure of the ball 30 and the socket 20, the head 10 can be first rotated to be aligned with the valve 99 of a tire, and then the air outlet 112 of the head 10 can be fitted over the valve 99. Thereafter, the lever 12 can be turned upwardly, allowing it to move from the first position (see FIG. 4) to the second position (see FIG. 5).

To facilitate the operation, the user may further rotate the cylinder 50 relative to the head 10 through the structure of the ball 30 and the socket 20, as shown in FIG. 5, so that the pumping action can be conducted more smoothly.

With the handle 80, the user may drive the piston 61 of the piston unit 60 to conduct reciprocating motion along the chamber 51 of the cylinder 50. Therefore, air in the chamber 51 can be forced out of the air outlet 53 of the cylinder 50, the through hole 32 of the ball 30, the through hole 22 of the socket 20, the air inlet 111 of the head 10 and finally forced out of the air outlet 112 of the head 10 to flow into the valve 99 of the tire, thereby inflating the tire.

With the present invention, the cylinder 50 can be rotated in all directions relative to the head 10 to facilitate operation of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is simple in structure, which allows easy manufacturing and precision control in assembling parts, thereby reducing the cost.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure is made by way of example only and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. A bicycle pump, comprising a head including a housing that is provided with a connection portion, and defines an air inlet and an air outlet communicating with said air inlet; a socket provided in said head, said socket defining a round recess and a through hole communicating with said round recess and said air inlet of said head; a ball partially disposed in said round recess of said socket, said ball defining a through hole communicating with said through hole of said socket, said ball having a connection portion; a retaining collar having an inner curved surface to be mated with an outer surface of a part of said ball located outside of said socket, and having a connection portion attached with said connection portion of said head, so that said ball can be retained between said socket and said retaining collar and rotated about its center in all directions; a cylinder defining a chamber therein, said cylinder having a first connection portion at one end thereof, said cylinder defining an air outlet at a center of said first connection portion, said air outlet of said cylinder communicating with said chamber, said first connection portion being attached with said connection portion of said ball, to allow said air outlet of said cylinder to communicate with said through hole of said ball; and a piston unit for conducting reciprocating motion along said chamber of said cylinder, so that air in said chamber can be forced out of said air outlet of said cylinder and finally forced out of said air outlet of said head to inflate a tire.
 2. The bicycle pump of claim 1, wherein said head further includes a nozzle, a pressing unit, and a lever, said nozzle being mounted in said housing and located at a bottom portion of said housing, said nozzle defining an air passage communicating with said air outlet and said air inlet of said head and capable of accommodating a valve of a tire of a bike, said pressing unit being hermetically and movably mounted in said housing and placed above said nozzle, said connection portion of said housing being formed on an annular member at a side of said housing, said air inlet of said head being defined at a center of said annular member of said housing, said lever being pivotally mounted to said housing in cooperation with said pressing unit, whereby when said lever is pivotally moved from a first position to a second position, said pressing unit can be urged by said lever to move downward to secure a valve on a tire of a bike.
 3. The bicycle pump of claim 2, wherein said pressing unit includes a pressing cup and a plunger fixed to said pressing cup, said plunger being inserted into said nozzle, said pressing cup being engaged with said lever, whereby when said lever is pivotally moved from a first position to a second position, said lever can urge said pressing cup, which in turn drive down the plunger to urge the valve, thereby securing the valve in said nozzle.
 4. The bicycle pump of claim 2, wherein when said lever is at the first position, said pressing unit is not urged by said lever; when said lever is at the second position, said pressing unit is urged by said lever.
 5. The bicycle pump of claim 1, wherein said cylinder defines an opening at the other end thereof and communicates with said chamber of said cylinder; said piston unit includes a piston and a connecting rod, said piston being mounted in said chamber of said cylinder, said connecting rod having a first end connected to said piston and a second end extending through said opening of said cylinder.
 6. The bicycle pump of claim 5, wherein said cylinder has a second connection portion provided at an outer surface of the end that defines said opening, and which further comprises an end cap defining a through hole at a center thereof and having a connection portion attached with said second connection portion of said cylinder, wherein the second end of said connecting rod extends through said through hole of said end cup; said through hole of said end cap having a dimension less than said piston.
 7. The bicycle pump of claim 6, wherein said second connection portion of said cylinder is formed as external threads, whereas said connection portion of said end cap is formed as internal threads, which can be threadedly engaged with said external threads of said cylinder.
 8. The bicycle pump of claim 6, further comprising a handle connected to the second end of the connecting rod that extends through said through hole of said end cap.
 9. The bicycle pump of claim 1, wherein an airtight ring is provided between said through hole of said ball and said air outlet of said cylinder.
 10. The bicycle pump of claim 1, wherein said connection portion of said head is formed as external threads, whereas said connection portion of said retaining collar is formed as internal threads, which can be threadedly engaged with said external threads of said head; said connection portion of said ball is formed as internal threads, whereas said first connection portion of said cylinder is formed as external threads, which can be threadedly engaged with said internal threads of said ball. 